Stay Festive - Holiday Highlights 2015
Enjoy the sights and sounds of celebration from mid-Michigan and around the world with these holiday specials!
On 90.5 FM |
Candles Burning Brightly: A Chanukah Special
Sun. Dec. 6 at 4pm | Wed. Dec. 9 at 7pm
A one-hour celebration of Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights with an exploration of Chanukah foods and traditional activities ... and plenty of music.
Handel's Messiah on MSU Faculty Recital Series
Sun. Dec. 6 at 7pm
Composed 274 years ago, Messiah continues to be one of the world's most popular works. The MSU Choral Union, University Chorale, and State Singers share the stage with the MSU Symphony Orchestra to continue this powerful holiday tradition. Live from Wharton Center, hosted by WKAR's Peter Whorf.
Advent Voices
Fri. Dec. 11 at 7pm | Sat. Dec. 19 at 4pm
Advent is a time of quiet contemplation and waiting. It's waiting for darkness to become light and for hopes to be realized. Throughout the centuries Advent has been observed musically in sacred and secular ways. Join Lynne Warfel for an hour of the most beautiful vocal music inspired by and written for Advent.
Hollywood Holiday
Sun. Dec. 13 at 4pm | Sat. Dec. 19 at 3pm
Lynne Warfel takes you on a one hour musical retrospective of some of Hollywood's most cherished Christmas themed movies.
Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Mon. Dec. 14 at 7pm | Wed. Dec. 23 at 7pm
The sounds of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir floated in to many homes during the holidays in the '60s & '70s on Goodyear and Firestone albums, bringing lush renditions of favorite Christmas carols. Those warm memories and feelings come right back again in this holiday special. The choir continues its tradition of great artistry with touching arrangements of familiar carols, and surprises with lesser-known melodies that are fast becoming the new classics.
Current State Live Holiday Special
Tue. Dec. 15 at 6pm (live) | Wed. Dec. 16 at 9am (recorded)
A special live broadcast hosted by Mark Bashore and featuring interviews with local artists and live music from the MSU Children's Choir.
Welcome Christmas
Wed. Dec. 16 at 7pm | Sun. Dec. 20 at 2pm
The perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premiere choral groups, led by Philip Brunelle. Join host John Birge for an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries.
Light and Gold: The Music of Eric Whitacr
Fri. Dec. 18 at 7pm
A meditative special co-hosted by superstar composer Eric Whitacre, featuring his own choral masterpieces. An encore presentation of the 2014 program.
St. Olaf Christmas Festival
Fri. Dec. 18 at 2pm | Sat. Dec. 19 at noon
A service in song and word that has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. Tickets to the event - which takes place at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN - are always gone months in advance. The festival includes hymns, carols, choral works, as well as orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians in five choirs and the St. Olaf Orchestra.
A Jazzy Little Christmas: MSU Faculty Recital Series
Sat. Dec. 19 at 8pm
Celebrate the season with the MSU Professors of Jazz and friends as they present their festive favorites – a perfect way to swing into the holidays. Live from Fairchild Theatre in the MSU Auditorium.
A Christmas Carol: WKAR 1960
WKAR presents the newly re-discovered 1960 WKAR staff reading of the Dickens classic. WKAR radio station manager Peter Whorf has updated the vintage production with Christmas film soundtracks from recent Hollywood movies. Gather round the fire for a contemporary take on a timeless tale.
A Chanticleer Christmas
Mon. Dec. 21 at 7pm | Thu. Dec. 24 at 8pm
Sun. Dec. 20 at 8pm | Thu. Dec. 24 at 7pm | on AM870 Fri. Dec. 25 at noon
A one-hour program of holiday favorites, new and old, presented live in concert by the superb 12-man ensemble known as "an orchestra of voices."
Festival of 9 Lessons and Carols
Thu. Dec. 24 at 10am
Hosted by Michael Barone, this is a live service of spoken-word and music (choral and organ) broadcast from the chapel of King's College in Cambridge, England. The 30-voice King's College Choir performs the legendary Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols service of Biblical readings and music.
On WKAR-TV HD/23 | View Full TV Schedule
A Chef's Life Holiday Special
Tue. Dec. 8 at 9pm
Examine the role craft plays in holiday customs, with a focus on winter observances and traditions.
Christmas At Belmont 2015
Mon. Dec. 21 at 10pm
Join host Kathy Mattea for a concert of carols, classical works, world music and seasonal favorites.
Christmas With The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Santino Fontana And The Sesame Street Muppets
Mon. Dec. 21 at 9pm
Join Fontana, Muppets® from Sesame Street® and the choir and orchestra for a holiday extravaganza.
MSU's Home for the Holidays
Thu. Dec. 24 at 8pm
Enjoy traditional holiday music with carols, storytelling, and sing-alongs featuring MSU College of Music ensembles and soloists from the Cobb Great Hall at Wharton Center on the campus of Michigan State University. Relive this unforgettable concert experience from 2014.
Hope College Christmas Vespers
Thu. Dec. 24 at 9pm
Christmas carols and anthems from historic Dimnent Memorial Chapel on the campus of Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Featuring more than 200 performers in instrumental and vocal groups as well as the college's historic Skinner organ. A production of Grand Rapids PBS station WGVU.
Holiday Pops with the Flint Symphony Orchestra
Thu. Dec. 24 at 10pm
Joy, merriment and the holiday spirit abound in this beloved season favorite featuring the Flint Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Enrique Diemecke.
Holiday Handbells: The Raleigh Ringers
Thu. Dec. 24 at 11pm
The Raleigh Ringers, an internationally acclaimed community handbell choir based in Raleigh, North Carolina, present song selections from old yuletide favorites to Vince Guaraldi's "A Charlie Brown Christmas" score and other sounds of the season.
Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2015
Fri. Dec. 25 at 9pm
As celebrations swing into action, Poplar readies itself for Christmas 1960; a festive bus trip to see the Regent Street lights and a visit from a BBC film crew promise to make it a Christmas to remember.
Merrily Caroling: A BackStage Pass Christmas
Fri. Dec. 25 at 11pm
Holiday classics new and old from the WKAR original series. Saginaw's Rusty Wright Band opens with the bluesy, "Santa's in Jail," and The Lash closes with "Run, Run Rudolph." In between: classics like "Away in a Manger," from The Mickeys, and "Silent Night" from Thom Jayne. Alt-rockers Bowery add "Kisses for Christmas" to the songbook. A highlight is the title song, "Merrily Caroling," from The Verve Pipe.
Live From Lincoln Center "New York Philharmonic New Year's Eve: La Vie Parisienne"
Thu. Dec. 31 at 8pm
Ring in the new year with the sounds of Paris, featuring music by Ravel, Offenbach and Saint-Saëns.
Celebrate the Holidays with PBS Kids on WKAR-TV HD/23
PBS Kids also features holiday programming in December. New holiday-themed episodes of Dinosaur Train and Super Why! repeat throughout the month. Beloved PBS Kids holiday specials also return, including Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas, Arthur's Perfect Christmas, Peg + Cat + Holidays and The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About Christmas!. Favorite seasonal episodes from Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Odd Squad and other series encore this month as well.
Check out these PBS Kids shows at the usual times on the dates listed here.
Wild Kratts: A Creature Christmas
Dec. 7 at 7am | Dec. 18, 24, 25 at 7am & 5pm
In this one-hour special, it's Christmas time and the Wild Kratts are taking a break from creature adventuring to celebrate but their holiday party quickly turns into a rescue mission.
Dinosaur Train - “Trains, Submarines and Zeppelins"
Dec. 7, 17, 25 at 11am | Dec. 27 at 6am
When Mr. Pteranodon and Larry go out to the Big Pond to find some red platanoids for the Winter Solstice Celebration, they accidentally miss the last train home. Will Larry and Mr. Pteranodon figure out a way home?!
Super Why! - "Judith's Happy Chanukah"
Dec. 7 and 9 at noon
Whyatt is excited to have been invited to Red's Gramma's house to celebrate Chanukah, but doesn't know much about the holiday!
Arthur's Perfect Christmas
Dec. 7 at 6am | Dec. 25 at 6am & 3pm
Everyone's favorite aardvark gives kids a new spin on seasonal traditions in this one-hour special, showing children the many ways to celebrate.
PEG + CAT + HOLIDAYS
Dec. 7 at 10am & 1pm | Dec. 24 at 10:30am & 12:30pm
Albert Einstein invites Peg and Cat over to celebrate Hanukkah; Peg and Cat give Santa Claus a help when in trouble; and Peg and Cat coach a team of skiing penguins, who would have a shot at the Olympic gold medal.
Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas
Dec. 7 at 8:30am & 2pm | Dec. 12, 20 at 8am | Dec. 24 at 8am & 2:30pm | Dec. 25 at 8am & 2pm
Join George and The Man with the Yellow Hat as they count down the days until Christmas.
The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About Christmas!
Dec. 8 at 1pm | Dec. 16, 24 at 1:30pm
This adventure finds the Cat in the Hat, Nick and Sally on a journey around the world to help a lost reindeer find his way home to Freezeyourknees Snowland in time for Christmas.
On WKAR Create | View Full Create Schedule
CREATE MARATHON: Joy to the World
Sat. Dec. 19 6am-12pm and 6 pm-mid | Sun. Dec. 20 12pm-6pm
'Tis the season to be jolly, as family and friends gather to celebrate Christmas and Kwanzaa. Globe trekker Joseph Rosendo takes us to San Antonio where everything is sparkling and festive. Learn about the seven principles of Kwanzaa and have a healthy Kwanzaa feast with Chef Wilbert Jones. Lifestyle experts Ian Knauer, Hubert Keller, Jerry Yarnell and Vivian Howard are poised and ready to help you celebrate the holidays with warmth, good cheer and style! **Repeats Friday, December 25th, 12pm-6pm
CREATE MARATHON: Midnight Celebrations
Sat. Dec. 26 6am-12pm and 6 pm-mid | Sun. Dec. 27 6 12pm-6pm
We are counting down to 2016 with an unforgettable cocktail party! Indulge in the tasty appetizers prepared by our outstanding Create chefs Rick Bayless and Christina Pirello. Sip your bubbly, in the champagne region of France. Interior decorator, Katie Brown will be on hand to add some glistening touches to make your party shine. HAPPY NEW YEAR! **Repeats Thursday, December 31st, 12pm-6pm
On WKAR World | View Full World Schedule
Programming on WKAR World features Religion and Spirituality throughout December. Here are some of the highlights.
Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler
Sun. Dec. 6 at 9pm
Host Bruce Feiler embeds with a group of active duty and retired U.S. military, wounded in Afghanistan, Iraq and other American wars, as they travel to the Catholic shrine of Lourdes in southwest France in search of healing.
Sun. Dec. 6 at 10pm
The Island of Shikoku in Japan is the birthplace of the most revered figure in Japanese Buddhism. Temple priests introduce Feiler to sacred ceremonies that date back thousands of years, revealing how the presence of Kobo Daishi is believed to accompany all who follow in his footsteps.
Sun. Dec. 6 at 11pm
Feiler travels to Israel with Jewish and Christian pilgrims. Through his travels, Feiler reveals a land where religious and historical divisions have made it the most contentious place on earth.
Sacred Journeys with Bruce Feiler
Sun. Dec. 13 at 9pm
Millions of pilgrims gather in the valleys outside the city of Mecca in today's Saudi Arabia to take part in the annual five-day pilgrimage every Muslim hopes to complete at least once. Since non-Muslims aren't permitted in Mecca, Feiler's surrogate is Anisa Mehdi, a veteran reporter of the Hajj, who joins a group of Muslim pilgrims from Boston who begin their journey in Medina, the second of Islam's holy cities.
Sun. Dec. 13 at 10pm
Feiler travels to the Kumbh, India with a group of spiritual seekers from across America. After surviving an out-of-season monsoon that floods much of the Mela camp, they meet with some of India's leading spiritual gurus and join millions of fellow pilgrims in a ritual that Hindus believe washes away sins and breaks the endless cycle of reincarnation.
Sun. Dec. 13 at 11pm
Feiler travels to Nigeria with a group of African-American pilgrims who are attending an annual festival in honor of the Yoruba goddess Osun. In company with pilgrims from Miami, New York and Boston, Feiler visits the last remaining Yoruba sacred grove in Nigeria.
Story of the Jews with Simon Schama
Episodes 1 and 2 air multiple times Mon. Dec. 14, Tue. Dec. 15
Episodes 3 and 4 air multiple times Mon. Dec. 21, Tue. Dec. 22
Episode 5 airs multiple times Mon. Dec. 28, Tue. Dec. 29
Simon Schama explores the Jewish experience from ancient times to the present day in this five-part series.
Ancient Roads from Christ to Constantine
Episodes 1-3 air mulitple times Sat. Dec. 19, Tue. Dec. 22
Episodes 4-6 air multiple times Sat. Dec. 26, Tue., Dec. 29
The compelling six-hour series charts Christianity's evolution from a small movement to the largest religion in the world, with more than two billion followers.
Jerusalem: Center of the World
Sun. Dec. 27 at 9pm | Mon. Dec. 28 at 1am, 9am, 3pm
Jerusalem is arguably one of the most fascinating and complicated cities in the world. This program draws on religious texts, the science of archaeology and oral traditions passed on through millennia to try to determine why this small city has occupied the minds of so many for so long. Host Ray Suarez leads viewers to the holiest sites of Judaism, Christianity and Islam — on the land, from the sky and underground.
American St. Nick
Sat. Dec. 12 at 10pm | Mon. Dec. 28 at 8pm | Tue. Dec. 29 at 1am, 9am, 3pm
World War II exacted a heavy toll on the people of Wiltz, Luxembourg, nearly destroying the small town. Occupied by German forces for four years, the town was subject to the whims of Nazi leadership: streets were renamed, the native language was banned, religious freedoms were curtailed, and Saint Nicolas Day was outlawed. This documentary chronicles a day at the height of the war when the battle-weary 28th Infantry Division of the American Army returned hope and joy to the children and people of this war-torn town when they organized a party celebrating the town's centuries-old Saint Nick tradition.
